An array of LEDs randomly changes patterns every 10 seconds or so. To read the time, simply count the number of dots per digit. The main pic shows the time, 22:11. Different colours are assigned to different digits, red-10hours, amber-hours, green-10minutes, blue-minutes. Using 3mm superbrights means the clock can be read daytime or night (though it'd be washed out in full sunlight).
Having a random pattern is a lot less distracting than having numeric digits staring at you...this would also be a great project for adding to the front or size panels of a PC mod